Jews have been the archetypal immigrants since that fateful day when God commanded Abraham to “go forth from your land, your birthplace, your father’s house, to the land that I will show you” (Genesis 12:1). He left home to dwell as an outsider in strange and foreign lands, and the Jewish people have been on the move ever since.

[Author's note: What follows is a portion of my eulogy at Leonard’s funeral on Sunday morning, March 1. He was married to my dear first cousin, Susan.]

Leonard shared with me after he and Susan married 26 years ago that he had never met a woman like her, never had he loved anyone so dearly and passionately, that she’d saved his life and lifted him from darkness and unhappiness in ways he never thought possible. His love, appreciation, respect, and gratitude for her transformed him and enabled him to begin his life anew.

During the 40 years that I served as a congregational rabbi, Purim evolved from a pleasant celebration into what has become, in my view, almost a third High Holiday.

We no longer simply read the M’gillah to cheer Esther and boo Haman. Today, we have come to expect elaborately choreographed and carefully rehearsed Purim spiels with clever lyrics sung to the tunes of popular songs or show tunes. At our congregation, one woman has become a legend for writing such clever lyrics, and other communities have their bards, as...

Parashah T'tzaveh is almost entirely concerned with the ritual clothing and ordination of the priests. God says the priests' vestments are "for honor and glory" (לכבוד ולתפארת - l'chavod ul'tifaret). The same words are in the blessing that follows the Haftarah reading.

The Eternal One spoke to Moses, saying: "When you take a census of the Israelite men according to their army enrollment, each shall pay the Eternal a ransom for himself on being enrolled, that no plague may come upon them through their being enrolled." - Exodus 30:11-12